ICE deported Jesus Vazquez Daniel, a 59-year-old illegal alien and accused murderer, from the United States on May 22. Vazquez Daniel had allegedly evaded authorities for approximately 20 years before being located and removed by ICE Houston. The deportation was announced May 23, 2025.
Suspected human smugglers were arrested after allegedly hiding migrants inside modified hay bales during a routine traffic stop near Flatonia, Texas, when Fayette County Sheriff's deputies noticed that bales on a hay trailer had been hollowed out to create compartments. After closer inspection, deputies found 12 migrants concealed in "dangerously confined spaces" below a metal framework and layers of hay. The driver was taken to a hospital for treatment, while two accused coordinators — Adanaylo Lambert, 22, and Lency Delgado Fernandez, 25 — were taken into custody on federal and state human smuggling charges.
The Texas House approved a bill on Sunday that will require sheriffs across the state to collaborate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement through 287(g) agreements, a federal program that grants local officers the authority to serve immigration warrants and question inmates about their immigration status in local jails. SB 8 is poised to be the most significant piece of immigration-related legislation passed by Texas lawmakers this session, and could boost the Trump administration's mass deportation efforts. Immigrants' rights advocates have expressed concern that the requirement will lead to racial profiling and spread fear among undocumented Texans who may hesitate to report crimes or seek help from authorities.
A Venezuelan national illegally in the U.S., Daikerlyn Alejandra Gonzalez Gonzalez, was arrested after allegedly striking and killing 18-year-old Ava Moore with a jet ski on Lake Grapevine. Moore, who had just graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy Preparatory School and been accepted to the Air Force Academy, died from severe traumatic injuries. A second suspect was also apprehended for allegedly helping the suspect flee the scene.
A Texas sheriff reports a significant decrease in illegal migrant crossings since President Trump took office, noting an especially sharp decline over the past two weeks. U.S. Customs and Border Protection data shows April apprehensions dropped 93% year-over-year, with a San Diego immigrant processing facility closing due to the "unprecedented decrease in illegal crossings."
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement removed Oscar Lopez Delira, a 47-year-old convicted of sexually exploiting minors, to Mexico on May 27, 2025. Lopez had been deported twice previously but illegally reentered the country three separate times. He was ultimately removed after serving time for illegal reentry and transferred from federal custody.
ICE arrested 22-year-old Daikerlyn Alejandraa Gonzalez-Gonzalez on May 27 following a state warrant for felony manslaughter. Gonzalez was operating a personal watercraft that collided with a kayak at Lake Grapevine on May 25, killing 18-year-old Ava Moore. She fled the scene but was apprehended following a joint operation with state and federal law enforcement agencies.
A father and son from Utah have been indicted for allegedly conspiring to provide material support to the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), a designated foreign terrorist organization. The defendants operated an oil terminal in Rio Hondo, Texas, and are accused of illegally importing tens of millions of dollars in crude oil and laundering the proceeds. The investigation involved ICE, DEA, FBI, and IRS Criminal Investigation, with authorities seizing oil barges, tanker trucks, and property valued in the millions.
An 18-year-old Air Force Academy cadet from Texas, Ava Moore, was killed in a jet ski collision with two foreign nationals who entered the country illegally in 2023 and were released under the Biden administration. Rep. Beth Van Duyne, who sponsored Moore's application twice, expressed outrage at the incident and emphasized that the tragedy was preventable. The two suspects were apprehended after fleeing the scene and striking two vehicles while attempting to escape.
During a seven-day enforcement operation in May 2025, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 422 individuals in the Houston area, including 296 with criminal records, and deported 528 aliens. The operation targeted dangerous criminals and those who had exhausted legal appeals, with ICE Director Bret Bradford noting that some of the world's most dangerous fugitives and transnational gang members had exploited the crisis at the southern border.
